Groundbreaking discovery - Tutorial posted

[tekken57]

EDITING MODELS USING TOPOGUN / 3DSMAX and X-REY

 

This tutorial is an advanced tutorial so please ensure that you are familiar with the following concepts before attempting this:

- Editing models using X-rey
- Nseinisky's tutorial on model editing
- Extracting/ injecting files using X-Packer
- Importing WWE models into 3dsmax using breinj's plugin

All the above tutorials can be found on this site or on the tutorials section of my site: http://sf4mods.blogspot.com

 

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You will need:

 

- X-Rey

- 3DS Max

- Topogun

- Breinj's import plugin for 3ds max

 

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For the purpose of this tut i am going to try to shape Fandango's head to look like Jeff Hardy. I'm not sure wether this will look good in game but like with all mods, all lot of it is trial and error.

The help picture is numbered to correspond with the steps oultined below.

 

 

1. Firstly we need a model to be used a base to shape the head on. I am going to use Jeff Hardy's model from Svr2010. Import the jeff Hardy Yobj file into 3dsmax using Brienj's plugin.

2. We don't need the body so select all the body parts and delete them. One part of the face is also attached to one of the arms. Delete the uneeded vertices so that you only have a head object.

You can also select all the bones from the 'select from scene' dialog box and delete all the bones. This is not required but it makes moving the model around a bit easier. Up to you.

3. Now that you only have Jeff Hardy's head objects, we are ready to export. The older models are scaled much smaller than the current models and need to be scaled to be bigger to fit the newer models.

Select all the objects in your scene and select export - export selected objects. Select wavefront object as your model format type. Under the settings the obj export, the options are the same as you would use for x-rey exports. However you need to set the scale option to 10.0 (ten times the size of the object). EDIT: I've found that some older models are sized better if they are exported to 9.5 scale. Try both sizes and see which works better for you.

Save your object under any name you want, I am going to call it hardy_head.obj.

5. Close your scene in 3dsmax and create a new scene. Now import your model that you want to appl Hardy's head onto in 3dsmax, in this case I m going to import the Fandango yobj file.

6. With the Fandango yobj file open in 3dsamx, import the head to be used as a base i.e. Jeff Hardy's head (hardy_head.obj). You will now see Fandango's model with Hardy's head positioned wierdly.

7. Now we need to position Hardy's head over Fandango's head in 3dsmax. Move the head into the correct position, I usually use the nose a reference to position the head by lining up the noses. You may also need to size, rotate, etc to get the head to be positioned  properly. I use the top and front views to help me line up the model correctly.

8. Once the Hardy Head is postioned correctly, we need to export the Hardy head again. Export Hardy's head using the same settings used for X-rey but remember to set the scale back to 1.0 as it doesn't need to be scaled again. Save your object with any name you want, I am going to name it hardy_head_positioned.obj .

9. Now that we have a base model to shape our head with, we need to export the objects on the Fandago model to be shaped. You can either export your model to shaped head as one object or as multiple objects. I usually export it as multiple objects as you will need to split the object up in 3dsmax after topogun if you export as one object. For me this caused issues with the faces.

The easiest way to export your objects is to use X-Rey. Open your Fandango yobj in X-rey and identify the face objects which need to be shaped. In the Fandago model 0bjects 8, 9 and 10 are the head objects. Click on export in x-rey in each row of these objects.


10. Start Topogun, select "load scene" and open one of the Fandango face part objects in topogun (start with Fandango object 8). When it asks you for the hi res model, select Hardy's head (hardy_head_positioned.obj). You will see Jeff Hardy's head loaded and colored in grey. Fandango's object will be a mesh with verts and faces.

11. Now you need to select the part of the Fandago model you want shaped. I'm lazy to select manually so I hit "select - select all verts". Once the verts are selected, I click "modify - conform verts". This shapes the Fandango object to the Hardy's head.

12. Click 'File - save scene as' and save as wavefront object. I name my object object8_topo.obj so that I don't get confused. You can name it anything you want.

13. The object can now be imported directly into x-Rey. In x-rey with Fandango's model, select import on the object 8 row. Select the object you exported with Topogun to import (object8_topo.obj).

14. Repeat the process in Topogun for each of the other faces part objects. Inject each one in X-rey as described in step 13.

15. Your model is ready to be used in game directly after the topogun process, however I like to make tweaks in 3dsmax after the process. So if you want to make further tweaks, import your yobj after injection back into 3dsmax as normal. Make the edits and use the normal process to export and inject into X-rey.

I've noticed that topogun does not do the mouth, eye and ear area as well as I would have liked. So I usually touch these up in 3dsmax afterwards. Also I've noticed that Topogun messes the inside of the mouth up really badly so try not to select this when reshaping.

That's it. It's a long process I know, so go through the tutorial slowly until your are familiar with it. Post any questions you may have in this thread.

Edited August 3, 2014 by tekken57

[tekken57]

Since coding X-Rey in January. I've been continually looking for ways to convert older models to work in the newer games. I've tried multiple things without any success.

 

I had an idea to extract and inject the head from older model models and inject into newer models but there were issues with rigging and vertice limitations. Anyways I looked into various scripts which would automatically shape an existing model into the shape of an older model. Somewhat like the concept of a mould in sculpting.

 

Last night I came across a program called topogun: http://www.topogun.com/ . This program basically is mean to create a low poly version of a high poly model. I've been experimenting with it all night and used it as follows:

 

1. Took RVD's 2008 head, scaled it and positioned it on my/Petchy/Hotavioh's RVD mod (Stone Cold base).

2. Used RVD 2008 head as the high poly model in Topogun

3. Used my mod's head as the model which needed to be reshaped.

4. Used topogun to reshape my mod.

 

It took a lot of work to prepare the head for TopoGun. Also there was a lot of work to import it back into the game. The end result is that the Stone cold's head is now shaped to look like RVD's head. It's not 100% but pretty close. Here's the result:

 

 

 

 

 

So far it would seem like the limitations are as follows:

 

1. The model which needs to be replaced need to kind of look like who are trying to create. i.e. You  must choose a good base. AS usual what the model looks like in 3dsmax looks nothing like that in game. I've tried Angle's head on Mr Perfect and it looks nothing like Angle. 

 

2. Some of the UV's seem to go off fro some reason. It's not a biggie as it's only a few verts that need to be rewrapped.

 

3. The texture needs a bit off work after reshaping as the verts sometimes move and the texture needs to accomodate that.

 

All in all, the above mod took me about 11 hours last night. However I was still learning how topogun works. Reshaping the model this way is much quicker than manually shaping it though.

 

So what do you guys think, does the reshaped RVD look better?

 

Is anyone interested in using this method to do mods? If so, I will type up a tutorial, but it will take time as it's a complicated process.

Edited July 26, 2014 by tekken57

[HotavioH]

What can I say? Simply Awesome.... So Many possibilities...

[Red Rooster]

Wow fantastic stuff!

[Titavius]

this is amazing! you should give Benoit a go!

[zhigge]

hmm 11 hours and you know how to mod already.. a little intimidating... but such is life.. yeah create a tut. I think that is the only way we can get someone else to discover a faster way to do it. one thing tho..

 

smart/dumb question: you said you turned a low res texture to a high one.. so does this mean we can use say a ps2 texture now also or does it still need to be 360/ps3..

[tekken57]

@titan83, already tried this morning:

 

 

 

@zhigge, 11 hours to figure everything out. Takes about an hour for me to do the conversion now. But it still takes time to fix issues like with Benoit above, need to join the head to the next manually, fix eye sockets, etc.

 

I didn't mean high res texture, I meant hi res model to low res model

[OverTheEdge]

Holy shit, dude...

 

Hell yes, I'd be interested in this. This is incredible! Sure, there's some cleaning up/adjusting necessary, but if this is as close as it seems we'll get to importing old models, I will gladly, gladly take it. The results are fantastic.

 

Another potentially dumb question here, but will we need to get our own copy of TopoGun?

[zhigge]

^^ yep.. looks like you need liceses

[OverTheEdge]

^^ yep.. looks like you need liceses

 

Yeah, that's what I was just looking at.

[tekken57]

Yes your workflow is basically:

1. Prepare your model files for reshaping in 3dsmax (same process as preparation for x-rey).

2. Import model into topogun and reshape

3. Export model.

4. Import model from topogun directly into yobj using x-rey or make tweaks in 3dsmax then import into x-rey.

You make a lot of edits in topogun directly also, just that I'm not 100% familiar with the software as yet.

You should download an evaluation version of the software from the vendors site to see what it can do to determine if it's worth your while. Remember it's not going to make a Stone Cold model look exactly like the Rock.

I spent the whole day evaluating it yesterday before buying a licence.

There are also conform tools in 3dsmax 2012 upwards but I only have 2011.

Going to download an evaluation version of max 2015 to see if the tools can used for this purpose.

Edited July 26, 2014 by tekken57

[bugsyboy]

Thats great and i will try this for sure but somehow i think RVD and Benoit look better before but i understand that this is still new.

Yes please make the tut i will give a go this week.

The problem with 3dmax is that Brienj yuke importer only work for 2011 and not newer version, but if someone can fix this its you.

I dont know where the modding scene would be this year if it wasn't for you.

This is the best modding year i ever saw of my life for wrestling games and you are still opening doors. Thank you sir

[OverTheEdge]

I dont know where the modding scene would be this year if it wasn't for you.

 

This really can't be said enough. X-Packer was always an incredible program, but what you've done for the community this year between its upgrades and the creation of X-Rey is unbelievable. I really can't thank you for your work enough, Tekken.

[RJJ]

WOW! AWESOME!!

 

 

Hey Tekken, can you give Rock 2008 body a try?

Edited July 26, 2014 by RJJ

[Deka_Night]

I See great possibilities with this if your able to copy and paste the form of other superstars maybe we can just copy the form of the wwe 12 guys and make them proper by using moveset man as kinda a CAW base that can be molded

Edited July 27, 2014 by Deka_Night

[MykeMadness]

This looks awesome Tekken.

I know once this has been toyed with and mastered (like you've done with everything else) that some of these models will look 100%.

Keep up the great work.

[tekken57]

Thanks a lot guys. I've always first and foremost been a wrestling fan. It always been my dream to have a wwe game with a perfect roster, hence I created X-Packer in the first place.

 

I've been toying around with topogun the entire weekend and it's very time consuming but the results definitely speak for themselves. I've haven't even used the more advanced features of the program as yet or gone through any tutorials. Topogun has a lot of cool features which needs to be explored. Anyways you guys can mess with more when I post the tut.

Edited July 28, 2014 by tekken57

[Titavius]

Tekken, I know it's hard to say at this point, but what do you think the chances are that the model format will remain the same for 2K15? I mean for the 360/PS3 versions of the game of course. After all, yukes are still involved..

[HotavioH]

Thanks a lot guys. I've always first and foremost been a wrestling fan. It always been my dream to have a wwe game with a perfect roster, hence I created X-Packer in the first place.

 

I've been toying around with topogun the entire weekend and it's very time consuming but the results definitely speak for themselves. I've haven't even used the more advanced features of the program as yet or gone through any tutorials. Topogun has a lot of cool features which needs to be explored. Anyways you guys can mess with more when I post the tut.

 

Topogun is really a great tool... I've used to work with it for 3d modelling...

 

> Off Topic: Tekken, do think that's possible a way to fix (or increase) the .arc file size limit, maybe even, make a new readable .arc file to work along the current one? 

[El Guapo]

Tekken, I know it's hard to say at this point, but what do you think the chances are that the model format will remain the same for 2K15? I mean for the 360/PS3 versions of the game of course. After all, yukes are still involved..

 

Honestly I think the PS3/XBox 360 versions will be identical to the last couple of releases, just with the usual minor stuff like roster changes and 'career/story' mode getting a slight overhaul.

The next gen systems will get a brand new game from the bottom-up which they can continue to build upon for the remainder of the system's life like the majority of 'franchise' video games do/have done.

 

It doesn't make a lot of sense for them to create a brand new game that is 'shackled' to, held back by the old systems, but they still want to produce a game for those old systems because of the large user-base.

Edited July 28, 2014 by El Guapo

[Titavius]

 

Tekken, I know it's hard to say at this point, but what do you think the chances are that the model format will remain the same for 2K15? I mean for the 360/PS3 versions of the game of course. After all, yukes are still involved..

 

Honestly I think the PS3/XBox 360 versions will be identical to the last couple of releases, just with the usual minor stuff like roster changes and 'career/story' mode getting a slight overhaul.

The next gen systems will get a brand new game from the bottom-up which they can continue to build upon for the remainder of the system's life like the majority of 'franchise' video games do/have done.

 

It doesn't make a lot of sense for them to create a brand new game that is 'shackled' to, held back by the old systems, but they still want to produce a game for those old systems because of the large user-base.

 

 

That's sort of what I was thinking to be honest. If the format is the same, we're gonna have so many more models to play with! On the flipside though, if the format is different, and everything is encrypted differently, will this make our modding tools redundant?

[zhigge]

^^^ you mean make the tools obsolete.

[El Guapo]

 

 

Tekken, I know it's hard to say at this point, but what do you think the chances are that the model format will remain the same for 2K15? I mean for the 360/PS3 versions of the game of course. After all, yukes are still involved..

 

Honestly I think the PS3/XBox 360 versions will be identical to the last couple of releases, just with the usual minor stuff like roster changes and 'career/story' mode getting a slight overhaul.

The next gen systems will get a brand new game from the bottom-up which they can continue to build upon for the remainder of the system's life like the majority of 'franchise' video games do/have done.

 

It doesn't make a lot of sense for them to create a brand new game that is 'shackled' to, held back by the old systems, but they still want to produce a game for those old systems because of the large user-base.

 

 

That's sort of what I was thinking to be honest. If the format is the same, we're gonna have so many more models to play with! On the flipside though, if the format is different, and everything is encrypted differently, will this make our modding tools redundant?

 

 

Possibly that - but hopefully it'll just be something as easily rectifiable as the EPK8 header change we got between the last two games.

 

It is still being developed by Yukes after all...

Edited July 28, 2014 by El Guapo

[tekken57]

Too soon to tell  wether the models will be different or not. I suspect the models won't change that much as they probably won't be developing for 360 and ps3 for much longer. We'll see when the game is released.

[tekken57]

Tutorial posted